1. Overview
Understanding the underseat dimensions of your airline can enhance your travel experience by ensuring a stress-free boarding process. This guide presents details on personal item sizes for various U.S. airlines.
2. Importance of Underseat Dimensions
Many travelers encounter tight space on airplanes, making it essential to know the underseat dimensions of the airline you’re flying with. This knowledge can save time and effort when stowing your belongings.
3. Airline Underseat Dimensions
Understanding the personal item size limitations set by each airline can help you pack effectively.
Every time you board a plane, you probably hear flight attendants telling passengers to stow small, personal items under the seat in front of them and larger bags in the overhead bins. Of course, space on airplanes is notoriously tight these days, so you might wonder just how much room you have under that seat in front of you. The answer? It depends. Many airlines don’t list the exact underseat dimensions, but they do share the maximum size permitted for personal items, providing an approximate measure of how much space is under the average seat.
Any items that stick out could pose a safety hazard during an emergency evacuation, so flight attendants are usually pretty stringent on this rule. Consequently, knowing the measurements of the space under your seat could save you time and stress. This is particularly crucial for pet owners traveling with their furry companions in the cabin. Thankfully, we’ve done the work for you and rounded up 10 of the best airline-approved pet carriers that will fit under the seat comfortably.
It’s important to remember that airline underseat dimensions vary by aircraft. For instance, a Boeing 737 won’t have the same seats as a Bombardier Q400, and this can affect the underseat storage available. Moreover, individual seats might have different dimensions, so these measurements are estimated, not exact. Roomy first-class seats may offer a bit more space, while main cabin middle seats might have more room than their neighbors. At the bulkhead, all that extra legroom does come at a price—these seats do not have underseat storage, requiring passengers to use overhead bins for their belongings.
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Air Canada
The airline does not release exact measurements for the space below seats, instead using purses, briefcases, and laptop bags as examples of suitable personal items. According to Air Canada’s carry-on guidelines, personal items should not exceed 17 inches by 13 inches by 6 inches.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines allows passengers to bring one personal item, such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag, and one piece of carry-on luggage not exceeding 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches. They don’t specify the size limit of the personal item, but the seat width is approximately 17 inches.
Allegiant Airlines
Passengers can place one personal item under the seat in front of them. The item should not exceed 18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches.
American Airlines
According to airline policy, any personal items stowed beneath seats should not exceed 18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches.
Delta Air Lines
Delta defines personal items that must fit under the seat as “a purse or laptop bag or item of similar size.” Delta has a maximum carry-on size of 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches—no bag may exceed 45 linear inches combined.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines defines personal items as “purses, totes, computer bags, briefcases, and kids’ backpacks.” Underseat items should be no larger than 14 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 8 inches long.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines defines personal items as “a laptop bag, briefcase, purse, or backpack that can fit under the seat in front of you.”
JetBlue
Under-the-seat baggage cannot exceed 17 inches by 13 inches by 8 inches on all JetBlue flights. Note that travelers flying Blue Basic are only permitted a personal underseat item (not a carry-on bag).
Lufthansa
Lufthansa allows passengers to stow one personal item, such as a handbag or briefcase, under the seat. The item must not exceed 11.8 inches by 15.7 inches by 3.9 inches.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest doesn’t provide exact underseat dimensions either, but they include “purses, briefcases, cameras, food containers, or laptops (case included)” as personal items that must be stored under the seat in front of you.
Spirit Airlines
Personal items must not exceed 18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches, including handles and wheels, on Spirit Airlines flights.
Sun Country Airlines
Purses, backpacks, duffel bags, or other carry-ons stowed under the seat on Sun Country Airlines flights should be no larger than 17 inches by 13 inches by 9 inches.
United Airlines
The maximum size for a personal item that fits under the seat on United flights is 9 inches by 10 inches by 17 inches.
